Automatic winding window regulators



June 17, 1969 A. LECOMTE AUTOMATIC WINDING WINDOW REGULATORS Filed June9, 1967 June 17, 1969 A. LECOMTE AUTOMATIC WINDING WINDOW REGULATORSSheet Filed June 9, 1967 Inueno Mum-.

United States Patent 3,449,861 AUTOMATIC WINDING WINDOW REGULATORSAlexandre Lecomte, Billancourt, France, assignor to Regie National desUsines Renault, Billancourt, France Filed June 9, 1967, Ser. No. 645,040Claims priority, application France, Aug. 1, 1966,

71,597 Int. Cl. EOSf /16, 11/34, 11/52 US. Cl. 49349 9 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an automaticmechanism, driven by an electric motor, for operating a winding windowof a vehicle and is concerned more particularly with automaticregulators for winding windows mounted in doors having a relativelynarrow or contorted shape closely connected to the general design of thevehicle.

Known window regulators wherein electrical means are incorporated foractuating the winding windows, notably inside vehicle doors, comprise asa rule an electric motor secured to the glass channel or support and thewinding window is driven through a train of gears actuated by said motorand meshing with racks secured to the door panel and acting as a guidemember during the glass movements.

However, as a rule devices of this general type are applicable only ifthe thickness of the vehicle door provides a space width sufficient tohouse the complete mechanism and permit the glass movements along asubstantially curved path, if necessary.

On the other hand, if the door is of relatively reduced thickness or hasa contorted form, designers are confronted with the problem arising fromthe over-all dimensions of the motor and of the parts associatedtherewith.

Some space can further be gained by using curved racks but these areconsiderably more expensive than conventional rectilinear racks.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a more flexiblemounting of the motor and reduction unit with a view to use recilinearracks. To this end, instead of rigidly securing the motor and reductionunit to the winding window support, this unit is suspended by means ofits output shaft; as this output shaft is mounted in bearings rigid withsaid support, the motor and reduction unit can oscillate about the shaftaxis. Under these conditions, when the glass is lowered and the drivingpinion has nearly completed its downward travel at the lower end of therack, the motor and reduction unit can oscillate about its output andsuspension shaft, thus avoiding any contact between said unit and theouter panel of the door and permitting the inward movement of the unitdue to the provision of suitable guide means.

Of course, in the case of still narrower doors, further space can begained by combining the advantages resulting from the above-describedfloating mounting of the motor and reduction unit with the use of acurved rack.

The automatic winding window regulator according to this invention whichcomprises a unit consisting of an electric motor and a reduction gearinghaving keyed on its output shaft with a pinion in meshing engagementwith a fixed rack, is characterised in that said motor and reductionunit is suspended by means of said output shaft to the glass support sothat said unit can oscillate about the axis of said shaft which remainsconstantly parallel to itself during the glass movements.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as thefollowing description proceeds with reference to the attached drawing,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary section illustrating diagrammatically by wayof example a typical form of embodiment of the present invention, thesection being taken upon the broken line II of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section taken upon the line II-II of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 3 is another fragmentary section taken upon the line IIIIII ofFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view showing the complete device, and

FIGURE 5 is a section taken upon the broken line V-V of FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the winding window 1 iscarried by its support or channel 2 in conjunction with other partsassociated therewith in two endmost positions; the glass is shown inthick lines in its closed position and in dash-and-dot lines in its openposition;

A bracket 3 secured to said channel 2 has secured thereto a T-sectionedguide member 4 of suitable plastic material having a low coefiicient offriction, shown in cross-section in FIGURE 5.

A bearing 5 is also secured to said channel 2. The output shaft of themotor and reduction unit 7 is suspended from the glass channel 2 betweensaid bearing 5 and a bearing-forming projection 8 of guide member 4, asshown in FIGURE 3.

The details concerning the motor and reduction unit 7 of reducedthickness and having its output shaft in a plane other than that of themotor shaft are described in applicants copending patent application No.615,725 filed on Feb. 13, 1967, now Patent 3,414,319 issued Dec. 3,1968.

Keyed on shaft 6 is a pinion 9 in constant meshirg engagement with arack 10 having a rectilinear set of teeth which is mounted on a fixedsupport 11 rigid with the rectilinear slideway 12 in which the guidemember 4 is slidably fitted.

A lateral lip 13 extending throughout the length of the aforesaid fixedsupport 11 is provided for guiding the lower portion of the motor andreduction unit 7 formed to this end with a pivotally mounted slottedhead 14 made of a plastic material having a low coefiicient of friction.

As shown in FIGURE 1, this lip 13 has a curved lower portion 15 whereby,due to its engagement with the slotted head 14, the motor and reductionunit 7 can be inclined or oscillated as required to prevent same fromcontacting the external panel 16 of the door which otherwise it wouldobviously engage.

In FIGURE 2 the position of the rectilinear rack 10 is clearly visible,its fixed support 11 extending well below the rack as shown in FIGURE 3.

Although the present invention has been described with many details, itwill be readily understood by anybody conversant with the art that itshould not be construed as being limited by the specific form ofembodiment described and illustrated herein, as many modifications andvariations may be brought thereto without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Besides, to facilitate the sliding movements of the windin-g window, thematerials of the surfaces in mutual sliding contact are selected to havethe minimum coefiicient of friction and the position of the guide memberis advantageously selected to cause the center of gravity of the movableportion of the device to lie in close proximity of said guide member inorder to reduce frictional reactions. To the same end, when the movableassembly is relatively important, the guiding action may be devolved totwo guide members instead of one, and the driving action may be dividedamong two pinions and corres ponding fixed racks disposed on either sideof the assembly.

I claim:

1. An automatic regulator mechanism for operating a winding window of avehicle comprising a window glass support, an electric motor andreduction unit suspended from said support and having an output shaft, arectilinear rack mounted on a fixed support rigid with a rectilinearslideway, at least one pinion mounted on said output shaft in meshingengagement with said rack, said motor and reduction unit being suspendedby means of said output shaft and being capable of swinging about theaxis of said shaft which remains constantly parallel to itself and inthe same position relative to said window glass support.

2. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 1, furthercomprising a bearing at one end of said window glass support adapted toengage one end of said motor and reduction unit shaft, and a plate onthe other end of said window glass support, a T-sectioned guide membermounted on said plate and provided with a second bearing member adaptedto engage the opposite end of said shaft.

3. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 2, wherein saidguide member is axially movable in said rectilinear slideway, to carryout a staright movement with said output shaft of said motor unit.

4. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 1, furthercomprising a slotted pivoting head secured to the lower portion of saidmotor and reduction unit and serving to guide said unit in its swingingmovements, and a suitably shaped lateral guiding lip extension of saidfixed support of said rack received by a slot in said pivoting head.

5. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 2, wherein saidT-sectioned guide member is made of a plastic material having a lowcoeflicient of friction.

6. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 4, wherein saidslotted pivoting head is made of a plastic material having a lowcoefficient of friction.

7. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 4, wherein saidlateral guiding lip extension extends in a plane parallel to the meansurface of said fixed support down to its lower end, and is curvedunderneath to cause said motor and reduction unit to recede along theexternal door panel.

8. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 4, wherein theouter edge of said guiding lip lies in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the axis of said motor unit output shaft.

9. An automatic regulator mechanism according to claim 4, wherein saidoutput shaft comprises a pinion adjacent each of its ends and meshingeach with a relevant fixed rack.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,336,530 12/1943 Chandler et al49349 2,947,569 8/1960 McDougall 49349 X 3,125,334 3/1964 Lohr 49-3583,312,017 4/1967 Witherspoon et al. 49 -360 FOREIGN PATENTS 851,436 10/1960 Great Britain.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

I. KARL BELL, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

